Parcel-post protector for mail-sacks.



Patented May 11, 1915 WITNESSES H h HNVENITH anna 026 on wax W By W' A770RIVEY8 THE NORRIS PETERS CO., FHOTO-LITHO WASHINGTON. D, C

barren stares rarnnr @FFEQE HANNAH HAZELTON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PARCEL-POST PROTECTOR FOR MAIL-SACKS.

Application filed. February 2, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HANNAH HAzEuroN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Parcel Post Protector for Mail- Sacks, of which the following is a full, clear, and eXact description.

This invention has special reference to mail sacks and the like, and more particularly to an improved protector designed to fit in a mail sack in order to reinforce the latter for the purpose of preventing injury to articles placed in the sack during the handling and shipment, and more especially as applied to parcel post transmission.

It is an object of the invention to provide a foldable protector or reinforcing member which comprises a series of sections of rigid material adapted to form a rectangular bracing member when fitted in a mail sack or the like, and which can be compactly folded for re-shipment if desired to return it to the place from which it was originally shipped.

l/Vith the above and other objects in view the invention resides in the peculiar combination and arrangement of the parts to be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated and claimed, it being also an object to provide a device which is simple in construction, durable and eflicient.

In the accompanying drawings-Figure l is a perspective view of a mail sack partly broken away, and with the improved protector applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 8 is an enlarged detailed sectional view illustrating one of the connecting means between the sections composing the protector; Fig. 4: is a plan view of the protector opened out; and Fig. 5 is a plan view of a modification of the protector.

In illustrating the construction and application of the invention, an ordinary mail sack 10 having the usual'closing means 11 is shown. These mail sacks are usually of canvas or some similar material, and in the parcel post transmission the articles placed therein for shipment often become damaged or mutilated. The present invention aims to overcome this by providing a reinforcing Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 11, 1915.

Serial No. 5,661.

member which will stiffen the sack and protect the contents during the handling and shipment.

The protector as illustrated comprises a plurality of cardboard or other stiff sections 12, there being four of such sections which are of corresponding dimensions, that is, these sections are of-rectangular form and somewhat elongated, and preferably provided with rounding corners as shown at 13. The sections are made of a length substantially corresponding to the height of the sack when opened out, allowing the top portion of the sack to be drawn together and fastened by the usual tying means. The sections 12 are pivotally connected as by means of a series of links 14 passing through eyelets 15 at spaced distances along the edges of the sections, the outer edge of one of the end sections 12 being imperforate, while the corresponding edge of the other end section has a section 16 of less width connected thereto in a similar manner as the other sections are connected to each other. This device when used is folded as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the section 16 being first folded and the remaining sections being folded at right angles to the ones to which they are connected, so that the section 16 will lie inside of the end section 12. The sections will be disposed as shown in Fig. 3 of the draw ings so that the connections will brace the same, and when the device is placed in a sack and the latter filled the contents will exert outward pressure to retain the protector in position, and the protector will offer sufficient resistance to prevent injury to the articles placed in the sack. In the event that it is desired to return the sack to the place from which it was originally shipped, the protector may be folded or collapsed and retained in or removed from the sack to occupy a minimum space for shipment.

In Fig. 5 of the drawings a modification of the protector is shown in which the same comprises a series of sections 17, there being four of such sections connected in the same manner as heretofore described so as to form a continuous rectangular inclosure with open ends, no edges of the sections being imperforate as heretofore described expt the end edges In this construction the protector can be collapsed to a double thickness in order to occupy a compact space for shipment.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A parcel post protector for mail sacks, comprising a series of independent reinforcing sections designed to form a rectangular inclosure with open ends, and a plurality of hinge connections at the adjoining edges thereof.

2. A protector of the class described, comprising four rectangular sections of stiff material of even dimensions, said sections being provided with eyelets along certain edges, links passing through said eyelets to pivotally connect the sections, and another section of smaller dimensions similarly connected to one of the other sections and adapted to be encompassed thereby When the sections are folded to produce an inclosure with open ends.

3. A protector of the class described, comprising four rectangular sections of stiff material of even dimensions, said sections being provided with eyelets along certain edges, links passing through said eyelets to pivotally connect the sections, and another section of smaller dimensions similarly connected to one of the other sections and adapted to be encompassed thereby when the sections are folded to produce an inclosure with open ends, said inclosure when fitted in a mail sack serving to protect the contents thereof with the sections braced together, and to permit the sack to be fastened in the usual manner, said sections being adapted to be folded on one another for return shipment in a compact space.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HANNAH HAZELTON.

' Copies of this patent may be obtained. for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). 0. 

